User blog:Amasa0707/Artificial Soulwork
Breathe I was sitting in the middle of a massive junkyard. My eyes opened. I blinked- A sentient being stood in front of me with a bluish bracket around him. I quickly realized that it was my own eyes doing this. I craned my neck, noticing the bare wires and metal frames surrounding my body. I lifted up my arm, craning it around, and span my wrist like a power-drill. “Hello? Can you hear me?” I continued to study myself and my surroundings. There was a silvery white casing similar to armor close to me, and it mildly resembled my body shape. Other bits and gadgets littered the ground, literally covering it. “Hello? Can you hear me?” I looked up at him, staring blankly. How do I respond? “Hay! Say something!” I attempted mimicking him, and opened my mouth. Nothing came out. “What the heck…? Oh yeah… stupid me… I forgot the vocalizer.” The boy picked up a little mechanical piece from a small, hovering droid table. He shoved it into my mouth, connected a few wires, and did a few other engineering techniques. “Alright, say something.” “Something.” The boys cheeks puffed, and he started making a strange yelling sound that mimicked happiness. “Ragh ha ha! Oh…” He wiped a tear from his eye, “You have so ''much to learn.” “What are you doing?” “I was laughing.” “Is that what the terrible screeching noise you made was? It rattled my audibility sensors.” “Ah, come on. It wasn’t ''that ''terrible.” “That is debatable.” “Well… I didn’t make a super-powered protocol-battle-artificial intelligence droid so it could nag at my laughing, so let me start by asking, how do you feel?” “What is ‘feel’?” “Uh… well… it’s like… sensing something.” “Like the annoying vibration in my audibility sensors?” “Well… no… more emotional.” “What’s emotional?” “Uh… it’s what… uh… it’s what people feel.” “So emotion means a pain in your ears?” “No! No…! Please… ugh… here I was thinking that this would be easy.” “So the definition is ‘No! No…! Plea-” “No! That’s not the definition.” “What is the definition?” “Well, it’s when people think things in their mind that makes them feel a certain way.” “Very well. I accept that response.” “Okay… one obstacle down… now… what do I call you…?” “What is my name?” “Actually, that’s what I was just pondering on.” “My name is ‘Actually, that’s what I was’-” “No! Not this again!” “So my name is-” “No!” “My name is No?” “No…” “Very well. No reporting for assistance.” “Your name isn’t No!” “Then what is my name?” “Gimme a second!” “My name is-” “Shut up you annoying droid!” “Very well.” “Huh… now what should I name you…?” “I do not know.” “Huh… how about… Creation 1- Alpha? C1-A?” “I disagree with that response.” “Wait, you disagree? When did you gain a will?” “Your tiny human brain obviously lacks the idea that I care about what name I have. Obviously, you are a terrible engineer. You gave me intelligence before you named me, and now you wish to give me a terrible name. Make it adequate.” “… Did I just get told by a droid?” “The answer is yes.” “… Uh… fine… help me search this junkyard for something. I’m sure there’s a name tag ‘round here somewhere.” “Your grammar is incorrect.” “Don’t care.” “Your grammar is incorrect.” “Shut it.” “I accept that response.” He got up, and started dusting through the piles of computer chips and other bits of pieces. I received multiple targets that differed from the majority: helmets, battle droid parts, weapons, both melee and ranged, small ships, and various other things. If all put together, the planet could probably spawn a sufficient military force just from this area. Instead of looking around, I got up, and started dusting around opposite to him. I found multiple scraps, varying from astromech heads, magnaguard staffs, and even fractured lightsaber shards. After dusting for some time, I found a dusty, bell shaped object. Slowly, I picked it up, noticing it was a helmet. It had a large, orange visor, and was eggshell white. I looked inside the helmet, and saw a name carved inside it. ''Amasa “Humanoid One, I think I found a sufficient name.” The boy came over, and looked at the helmet. “Amasa? Do you like that name?” “I accept that choice of name.” “Well… Amasa… how are you?” “I feel pain in my audibility sensors still. I believe you permanently damaged them.” “Oh… uh… that’s not good.” “I decline that response. You are not apologetic.” “How would you know?!” “I am smarter than you. I am a machine. It is only logical.” “You’ve been programmed for five minutes, and you’re already trying to out due me. You’ll never out due the great Renim Khind!” “Who is Renim Khind?” “I’m Renim.” “Are you Renim or Renim Khind?” “… My first name is Renim. My last name is Khind.” “I accept that response.” “Okay… well… anyway…” “You are continuously trailing off in your voice. I disagree with your fragmented statements.” “Stop disagreeing with things!” “I cannot comply with that. Meat bags are simply disagreeable with.” “… Meat bags?” “You are very sloshy inside. The liquid inside you is continuing to rattle my audibility sensors. Please, silence your insides.” “… Afraid I can’t do that.” “I disagree with your response.” “Ragh!” He flipped a hover table droid near him. “You are angry.” He took a deep breath, sighed, and closed his eyes. “You have a lot ''to learn… Amasa.” “Indeed I do, meat bag.” Duurahkg's Rubble It has roughly been 525,949 minutes since my eyes opened. I had been completed in this time, as Renim added sensory pads over my entire body so I could feel everything I touch. He added the silver white casing over my body, and it worked nicely around me. In the mirror, I saw my body shine, my disk-shaped head adorned with glowing, illuminated blue eyes. Throughout the year, I had helped Renim make other droid projects. Now, multiple hover tables followed us around, and many little mechanical spiders scurried on the computer pieces and remains of technology looking for anything of use. I had more or less become Renim’s assistant, and maybe even his friend. It may have taken him a long, grueling 256 days, but I believe I have finally started comprehending the concept of ‘feelings’, especially toward my meat bag, idiotically intelligent human friend. On cold nights we would listen to the radio, and he would lean on my body to warm himself against my circuits, and I could hear his heartbeat, beating ever so gently and fragilely, as if it would break by a simple touch. I only started to wonder if I would become human. Not only had my emotional senses changed, but I have finally started to get worn into my body, and now the joints moved smoothly and quickly. I walked, ran, and did tasks just as fast as any human, if not quicker. My mind had also gained much more data as the year went by, especially in the art of scavenging and engineering. Renim had taught me much, and I was grateful for that. Tonight the moon shone down on us like a spotlight centering on us, and the chilly air surrounded me, cooling my sensory pads uncomfortably. Renim lay on me, in his dirty clothes, and his tan cloak he always wore, sleeping gently, his warm body heating up my circuits. I stroked his brown, messy hair. “I wonder what a feeling of intense liking is…” I muttered to myself, “I’ll have to ask Renim that when he wakes up… I’ve been feeling this lately and only towards him. It is in great need of inquiry to me.” The small house Renim has set up years before I had come here was rather pathetic, being that its door was more or less a missing wall. There was only a roof, and two walls. The back was covered by a hill of computer pieces, and the front was completely open. All that adorned the house was an unplugged miniature fridge filled with absolutely nothing, and a table to eat on… as if we had anything to eat. I regret that Renim installed with an energy system reliant of eating. While I could consume almost anything, consuming computer chips seemed like a waste… although I was more worried about Renim. He looked skinnier and paler than when I first saw him. Originally, his tan skin radiated into the sunlight, and his bluish tattoo over his eyes adorned it nicely. Now, the mark looked faded, his eyes has sunken into his head, his skin had become a deathly peach shade, and his entire body was bony. I combed his messy hair. “Is this worry, Renim?” He only replied with a sickly cough. It was worry. “Don’t worry… the Republic will save us, right?” a deep moan replied to me. I looked down at the ground, and noticed his warmth was ever fading. He wasn’t dead, but he wasn’t far from it, and while this world was filled with technology, all of it was damaged and filthy. Conditions on Duurahkg were terrible. The wildlife flying in the sky was contaminated, its very plumage crawling with worms and larva. The rivers flowed brown from the muck and dirt, and yet I still saw poor wild creatures drink from it, and die before they even expanded their wings to fly back into the air. It was sad, and even if they were non-sentient and only halfway knew the difference between life and death, their families, if even still alive, must suffer. The only thing to make the scenario worse was the sound of cruisers coming in, and letting dirtied trash crash into the ground. Before I gathered my thoughts, I saw the gleam of the sun through the cloudy dust. Renim’s eyes quivered, and he doubled over in a cough. My eyes widened, and I grabbed his shoulders. “Are you okay?!” He responded with a dusty, dry cough. “I would say ‘Yes’… but that would be an absolute lie.” I tilted my head down. “Don’t worry… the Republic will come. They’ll help us.” “Amasa… I’m going to die.” My shoulders sank down, and my eyes started blankly at him. “… Die?” “I know you know what it means.” He let out another violent cough, “I can’t last any longer… I’m sorry.” “… If you must… die…” the word stuck in my vocalizer like poison, “can you answer my inquisition?” “Yes?” He said weakly. “What is the intense feeling of extremely liking someone?” “… I think that’s love.” “Love?” “Basically what you just said… it’s a rather good definition.” “Renim… I think I-” The radio next to me blared loudly enough to rattle my finally calmed audibility sensors yet again. “Insignificant mongrels!” a metallic, raspy voice boomed, “your planet will be victim to my ship, The Oblivion! We will perform an orbital bombardment of the planet as to destroy any useful technology of Duurahkg! Any civilian may leave freely! All droids and engineers will stay and receive punishment! Any fool willing to dare face me will die by instant vaporization! Your hour starts now!” The radio shut off. Renim’s swollen eyes looked at the radio, stunned, as did mine. “We have to escape.” I said. “How…? Not only do we not have a ship, but he just said he’d vaporize us.” “What then? Would you rather die by orbital bombardment, pollution, or vaporization?” “… You have a point.” “I’m a machine. Of course I do. Now come on. We have to find something.” I got up, and Renim attempted, only to fall on his knees in pain. The sight of it nearly killed me inside. I picked him up, and helped him support himself. I walked out of the house, and walked towards the last time I saw a small ship. I stumbled along, and tripped on an object. Both Renim and I came tumbling down, and it knocked the air out of him. I looked at what I had tripped on, and noticed… a lightsaber. It glinted silvery white like my armor, and bluish smoke came out of both sides. I picked it up, and span it around in my hand. “This will be sufficient.” I put the thing in my pocket that he had given me. I picked him back up. “Is that a lightsaber…?” He muttered weakly. The sunrise’s light showed the creases in his dying face. “It is. No one will hurt you.” He made a pained grunt that sounded like agreeing. I started to walk a little faster, and my heart leaped when I saw a ship. It looked active… but it only had enough room to fit one person. “Renim, get in!” “What… what about you…?” “I’m a droid. You can remake a copy of me. You’re human.” “I thought you thought droids were superior…” “In intelligence, yes. In qualities, no. You’re unique.” “Yeah, and so are you. I’ll never be able to just remake you. You can never be cloned.” “Please… get inside. Maybe I can latch onto the outside.” “We’ll have to go into hyperdrive. You’ll never survive.” “You will. That’s enough, now in with you!” “Amasa, get-!” His shout was interrupted by the sound of a ship. We both looked up, to see a tan ship with four wings on it landing on the ground. It landed on the ground of computer chips, and a door opened. First, battle droids flooded out, then B2s, then magnaguards… and then… that. A man, eight foot tall and hunchbacked, with black silvery armor, gleaming red eyes, a black cape with a red interior, and four lightsabers stood above his army. His arms split, and he gained his four arms, and in each was a red, ignited lightsaber. “Leaving so fast, are you?” His raspy voice called, almost humorously. “Monster.” Renim rasped. “This is your creation?” He motioned towards me, “Rather impressive, ''engineer.” No hiding it now. I ignited my lightsaber, and span it around in my hand. “Little droid,” he looked at me, and the artificial life drained out of me, “you don’t even know how to use that, much less use it to hurt me.” The saber trembled in my hand. “Leave.” Renim muttered, “They want me.” “We want both of you,” he corrected, “but I shall give you the honor of knowing who killed you. I am Commander Helegog of the CIS. Now… die.” A red blade went through Renim. “Renim!” I yelled. The utmost amount of negative emotions scurried through my circuits. The saber sheathed itself. “Never… forget me.” He said weakly. He pulled off his cloak, something he always wore, and threw it to me. It now had a hole in it from where the lightsaber had gone through it. “I love you!” I screamed. His eyes widened for a split second, and then they went back to normal, and with a happy, dying smile, he collapsed on the ground. I grabbed his body, and jumped into the ship. I closed the cockpit, and made it operational. The engines hummed, and I flew off into space as the first red laser beam shot down, and only a rain of more came down. I now looked above Duurahkg, now being destroyed by The Oblivion. Explosions rattled on the surface, and pieces of machines flew into space. Renim’s cloak was now on me, only slightly warm, and his cold, lifeless body lay behind my seat… I felt a small, liquid drop fall down my metal cheek. “You taught me misery…” I muttered to myself, “and you let me cry alone.” I tapped a few buttons through misty eyes, and activated hyperdrive. Ruination I wasn’t really sure where I was at. The world looked murky, sad, and humid. The green atmosphere of the planet leaked into space. I flew the battered ship into the atmosphere, and landed it on the ground. I heard a small growl in the engine, and then it puffed smoke, and exploded. Little pellets of shrapnel landed against the cockpit… never would this ship fly again- though that wasn’t exactly my biggest problem. I pushed open the cockpit. I grabbed Renim’s body. His skeletal features only added insult to injury. A small hole was fixated in the center of his body, all around it charred flesh. The sight sickened me. I took my lightsaber in my hand, and cut out a rectangle in the ground. I was able to quickly dig out the dirt, and place the body inside, gently. I put the dirt back upon it, and shed too many tears. “Why did you have to die…?” My vocalizer quivered- something that had never happened before, “why can’t meat bags be more efficient?” The drops of water falling from my eyes wet the soft ground around me. Something then hit me. What if I forget where I buried him? ''I know I was a droid, but what if my data was corrupted? What if I got old? What if I was memory wiped…? I then remembered I had a lightsaber, and was in the middle of a forest. With one foul swoop, I cut down a small tree, and dug it down into the ground. With my sharp finger, I engraved into the wood- ''Here lies Renim Khind The best Meat-bag this galaxy has seen “Well, that’s a bit rude to put on someone’s grave, now, isn’t it?” I looked behind myself, startled. An aged man was standing beside me. He was rather tall, and a little muscular for being so elderly. The man was at least ninety, and that was pushing it severely. His coiled patch of white hair complimented his thin, curly beard. He wore a blackish robe, and had a double lightsaber hung to his belt… though something told me that a special item was missing from him. “How is it rude?” I was still miserable, even though confused from this new visitor, “He is a human, a meat bag.” “Well, many humans find it offensive.” “But he found it funny.” “… Well… I admit, it’s funny. Besides, it’s already engraved anyway. Maybe he’ll laugh wherever he’s at.” “What do you mean, ‘wherever he’s at’? Don’t people just die?” “Well… you see, some people believe in an afterlife. Usually, a thing called the Force, which is all living beings.” “So, not me?” “Afraid not, ma’am.” “Well… I am immortal anyway.” I kicked a small rock away from me, “I see now it’s more a curse than blessing.” “Heh, you learn rather fast.” I wasn’t sure why, but something was definitely missing from him. “There is something missing from you… particularly in your face? Did you used to wear a hat? Or a mask?” “Are you saying I’m ugly?” “I’m saying you’re missing something. Your appearance has little to do with the matter… but you’re not exactly attractive.” “Rude… but yes, I did wear a helmet, roughly eighty years ago. Once everything fell, I got rid of it.” “A helmet…?” “Yeah… bell shaped, orange visor, eggshell white…” “I have that with me.” I took a bell-shaped object off my utility belt. It matched his description. His old eyes looked at me in shock… his eyes… one was brown and human, but the left one… it was yellow, and the pupil was slit. His wrinkly, old hands took the helmet, and he turned it around in his decrepit hands. His long nails clanked against the old surface of the helm. “This… this is amazing… how did you find this?” “It was on Duurahkg.” “… I’m assuming you left? I felt a rather great disturbance in the force… I believe it was the destruction of a planet… but how did my helmet end up there?” “The planet is a dumpster for all mechanical or armored trash.” “… I guess it would happen to be like that… now… I am Amasa. What is your name?” “Amasa.” He seemed perplexed. “Are you trying to joke around, or are you serious?” “My name is Amasa. I took the name considering I found it in your helmet.” “Hm… copying my name, are ya? Well, alrighty then, droid. Come with me.” “Where are you leading me?” “Well, we’re connected through this. And from what I can tell, you’re a bit miserable from your friends… passing. I can teach you how to use that saber.” “… You can.” “Well of course I can! I’m a freakin Jedi-Sith Master! I can do what I want when I want! Now come on!” He seemed rather enthusiastic, “We got some training to do, Amasa!” He ran off, but I looked back. Here lies Renim Khind. '' Felled by the Machine He had led me to a mildly, decently large hut made of wood and leaves. Nicely sized beds were throughout, about seven of them. It seemed hollow, and the insides almost seemed to howl with nonexistence. “Why are their seven beds?” “…” He remained silent. “Did you hear my inquiry?” “Yes… it’s just… difficult saying it.” “Just say ‘it’.” The old man cracked up a bit with a laugh, and then sighed. “Well, it’s past history now. Ahem… long ago, roughly eighty years prior to today… the Republic fell.” “… The Republic fell? Eighty years ago? I thought it was still running.” “No, it has been long gone.” “Put my original inquiry aside, this new question requires more answers.” “Well, this story leads into your question… though I doubt you know much amount the Republic. They were a grand army, composed of many troopers, each a clone of a man named Jango Fett. I myself am one, actually. We were the valiant fist of the army. We defended, attacked, and battled the droids relentlessly. Anyway… around the mid-point in the war with the droids, where it was one or the other’s win, the Jedi found out about a scheme the Chancellor had been working up called Order 66. If it was activated, all of the clones would consider the Jedi traitors, and kill them on sight. The Jedi warned all clones about it so we wouldn’t follow the order, or at least have a fighting chance to fight our programming. An army of Jedi, including myself, Master Orantra, Master Zaalbar, and our padawans, attacked him, and subdued him. Though, before he died, he activated a last ditch effort… he ordered the clones to attack Kamino, killing off the entire cloning facility there… millions of Kaminoans and cadets died that day… I believe that he knew if the clones, his preferred choice, failed, then he would resort to having the droids take over. From that point, the Republic could barely reinforce itself. For every clone lost, we could never replace them. The droids soon became overwhelming, taking planets from us, and turning them into droid-crafting facilities. Within a year, the entire force of the Republic was forced into Coruscant, and that proved to be our grave. Countless ships arrived, taking our aerial defenses down within minutes. They rained down upon the surface orbital bombardments. Transports landed, and battle droids stormed the buildings. Within the hour, the entirety of our capitol was rubble. The Jedi Council was extinct, the clones now but a dust in a wind storm, and the Republic a sad, forgotten dream…” “… That is terrible, though you have still not answered my question.” “Ah, yes. I, and a select few others, were able to escape. We attempted to organize any rebellion to stand up to the CIS, but no one dared. We were utterly alone…” “Who exactly survived?” “I’m not completely sure the exact amount of people who escaped, but all I know of was my party. Myself, Master Orantra, Master Zaalbar, and our apprentices, Akika Aenea, Ataka and Brinon, and Jacen Brashin.” “They are obviously not here. What happened to them?” “… The first to go was Master Zaalbar. A regiment of magnaguards came after us, their numbers overwhelming. He told us to run, and I heard the clatter of lightsaber to metal… I am not sure if he survived, but I very much doubt it. The next was Jacen. He did not die though, he simply fell to the dark side because he assumed his master had died, and became a sith of impeccable power. The next to fall were Orantra, Ataka, and Brinon.” He became silent, as if this though affected him more than anything else, “Being the padawans of Orantra, they fought valiantly at her side. Sadly, the massive army that had surrounded us was too much. They told us to run, and try to start a cause for hope… and next was my beloved padawan. Akika had seen her friends die before her eyes. She hungered for power as to defend me, so much so it ended up corrupting her. She fought me… and I regret the events of what happened… I recall it so fondly...” Sith (Amasa Aokaiaga) The rain only captivated my sorrow with insult to injury. Her once beautiful, red eyes now had slit pupils, and looked of blood rather than roses. Her freckly, orange skin now had paled, showing black veins. Her once luscious, reddish hair was now painted gray. The smooth triangles that were her ears were now pointed to the sharpness of a blade. Her once sweet, soft voice now rang in my ears as a raspy, hateful sound. “Amasa…” she trailed off. “Akika… stop this. Don’t fall to the Dark Side. There is no good path that comes from hate.” “I agree with your words, but it is not that I wish to follow hate… it is that I am hate. Everyone has died!” “I have not!” “I cannot hold my faith in you any longer! Your love is only a false wall!” “You are my padawan! Please, I beg you! Do not turn to ''this side!” “Our cause is useless! I cannot hold faith in such denial!” “I know it is denial… but you must realize- good always triumphs over evil.” “This is no story. Happy endings are not real. They are simply created so the living can imagine that happiness is a reality.” “No… no… do not look at such pessimism.” “What faith do you have?! You know just as well as I do that there is no hope!” “There may be no hope, but that is no reason to fall to the Dark Side!” “I have not fallen! I have only gained more power!” “Believe me child, I have seen, and held the powers of a sith. There is no good that can come from them.” “Then I will show you!” Her double lightsaber ignited, the bright red beams expanded around with a small aura, and she went into the position I taught her… the one I named after her- The Akika, my personal form. I myself went into the half crouch position, with my double saber in one hand, and my other hand in front of me. We launched at each other simultaneously, our sabers bouncing off one another. Our red blades clashed many more times, each of us soaring through the air at speeds that the eye could never catch. I bounced off a tree, as did she, but her guard was imperfect, there was an opening that would strike her down, and she could see it… and I did not strike. She landed on the ground, as did I. She attempted her best to ignore my mercy. “I tire of speeding around. Let me show you the true extent of my force!” Red bolts crackled from her hands, and hit me directly. I fell to my knees instantly; her force was amazing. I was now on my hands and knees, my body trembling as the red volts of electricity coursed through me. The shock lessened, and I looked at the dying streaks of crimson fade and the thunder boom quieter around me. My once beautiful padawan stood over me, looking malicious with hate directly aimed at me. “Do not… do not fall the dark side…” I muttered. “You are a weak, dying man.” She said, “You are not worthy of life! And I shall end it now!” She raised her saber, but whilst in midair, it trembled. Her blood-red eyes flowed with different emotions, and her face scrunched with agonizing thoughts, “Agh! You wretched old man! Why must you confuse me so!?” The end of her boot clashed against my cheek, and my blood splattered on the grass to my left. “What have you become…?” I asked her, “What has made you do this?” “''What'' you ask? I seek your demise for the demise of everyone! If you had shown me power instead of weakness, they ''would still be alive! Orantra! Zaalbar! Ataka! Brinon! They would all be living and with us! But ''you ''failed me. Your training wasn’t sufficient!” “… I am sorry for their loss. I truly am. But you must realize- we are on the opposing side of the galaxy. We are the universe’s criminals. Not everyone can stand the burden of carrying the sky itself.” “They could’ve survived!” “They may have… but it is done now. You must learn to live on. You cannot let your emotions turn so quickly to hatred.” “My hate,” she pointed her saber to the point of my nose, “is to you, and only ''you.” Her lightsaber sheathed, and she put it on her belt. Slowly, in the rain, she stepped through the grassy and muddy terrain, and into the darkness. Apprentice “That was rather… disturbing. I am sorry.” “It is a thing of the past… though that wound will never heal.” “I’m guessing that she was a very important aspect in your life?” “I almost believed she was my daughter, and I loved her as such.” “It is sad how things turn out…” “Well… there is only one thing I know for certain. If I am still alive on this world, she is too. I would wish for you to find her.” “There is a bit of a logistical problem with that.” “And that would be?” “This is a planet. She is a force using maniac. She could be anywhere.” “Well… that is a problem… but if she was bent on darkness, she would go somewhere dark.” “So I should look for a Sith Academy perhaps?” “Indeed.” “Very well,” I stood up, and bowed to the old man, “Thank you.” “There is no need… just please… I miss my apprentice… it has been over seventy years…” I walked out of the room, now set on a new task. Seeing shadows was a little too easy, but seeing the correct shadows was difficult. The sounds of death and hostile wildlife echoed through the forest. The place itself seemed bent on darkness. I continued walking on, seeing bones scattered throughout. The mud squelched at my feet. The twisted, blackened brown bark shadowed every corner, and the shadow green canopies miles above let in no sunlight whatsoever. No human could have walked these forests without bumping into trees; the blue filter of my vision was about the best thing that allowed me to see. Only when red light crawl throughout the forest floor did I know I was approaching my destination. In a clearing stood a building composed of black stones, with lines of red encryption along the sides. Black columns lined the ruined entrance, where stones lay unplaced or in pieces. I heard the clash and burn of lightsabers colliding with other lightsabers. From behind a tree, I could get a mild view of two people. One had flowing, knee length white hair, grey, cracked skin and blood-red eyes filled with such hate and malice it burned my receptors. She wore a black cloak, adorned with black boots, and she used an aura filled double lightsaber. One the opposing side was a man adorned in a black cloak and hood, who yellow, slit eyes inspired fear in my programming. A thin, pitch black beard and mustache grew on him, and in his hands were red lightsabers. The two dueled each other with such skilled training it seemed too amazing. The female sith almost seemed to teleport with her speed, simply appearing at every side of the other sith within a second. Her strikes were swift and were quicker than a flash. How wondered how her opponent blocked the attacks with such ease. Even though I could barely hear, I heard cursing coming from both of them, apparently to the other. I wanted to a better view. I lifted my foot, and ease it on to the ground. My visors noticed the slightest twitch in the girl’s triangular ears. She jumped away from her opponent, and appeared at the entrance. “Jacen… it seems we have a… visitor.” “What do you hear now, witch?” “I hear an eavesdropping soon-to-be-disabled droid. Show yourself!” Her hateful voice rattled my body. I felt as though I had no choice… like something was telling me to do it. I legs almost unwilling walked forward. “Ah…” she hissed, “This will prove to be a good… plaything as to warm up for killing him.” “You will never kill me!” Jacen bellowed. “Oh, that is so foolish of you… but my attention is towards this droid.” She lifted me into the air, “what comes up, always come down.” She flung my body into the wall furthest back into the sith temple. My systems started failing. “Falling down so soon?” She taunted as she stood in front of me, “I wanted a plaything, not an already shattered toy.” She kicked my gut, and my sensors made me feel some sort of pain. “Urrrrgghhh…” I moaned. “Sad, pathetic, and worthless. You’re creator must have been ashamed when he finished you.” The mentioning of Renim in a harsh tone sparked a deep, residing hate in my memory banks. My systems were still failing, but I attempted grabbing my lightsaber. “Trying for something? I’m already bored.” She gripped my neck, and lifted me into the air with her bare strength. She smashed me against the already cratered wall. My systems started to turn off, and I could feel electrical bursts rummaging around me. “Already falling apart? So, so sad… just like Ama-” “What about me?” I heard the voice of an elderly man. My worsening visors targeted him. I felt the blood in her hands stop for a moment as her eyes widened. “You…? How… how are you alive?! You must be well over one hundred years old!” “I am. And you would not believe the how much I need some prune juice right now.” “A little too much information, old man,” She said disdainfully, “At least now… I can end the business I started to long ago.” “Akika… do not turn to the dark side.” “Do you not see me? Have you gone blind?” “I see hope… do you not remember…?” “All I remember is the death of my friends!” “Then I will refresh your memory!” For once the old man sounded angry, but almost in a way that sounded inspiring, “Do you not remember when I saved you from your wretched life as a slave?! Do you not remember the time when I trained you in the style I named after you?! Do you not recall when we went to the caves of Ilum?! The plains of Naboo?! The oceans of Kamino?! Don’t you remember when we fought and destroyed a CIS cruiser with just our Starfighters?! Have you forgotten when you met Orantra and Zaalbar!? And their apprentices?! Do you remember when Coruscant fell and all that was left were us?! Do you remember when you said the exact words ‘Never will I let my friends die! And if we are, I will be the first to fall!” Have you truly forgotten all of that?!” Akika’s hate seemed to radiate off her as she crushed her teeth against the others, and with trembling body she yelled, “Wretched old man! I would kill you if I could!” “Then do it!” With his hand, he ripped his shirt, revealing his chest, “Stab me now! Kill me!” “Fine then!” Her lightsaber seemed to brighten with her hatred, and with a sudden leap, pierced through him. The anger in her eyes instantly drained, being replaced by regret, remorse, and sorrow. Tears filled her eyes, “No… no… no no no no...!” Both of them fell down, Amasa on his back, and Akika on her knees. “Do not… be sorry child… I blame the darkness, not you.” “Why…? Why would you let me do that?!” “You are the most important thing in my life, Akika… I prized you much further than I ever did myself…” “It didn’t have to end like this!” “And if it hadn’t… you’d still be a sith…” “At least you’d be alive!” “Do you see how old I am? I have like a day left. I’m not Yoda! Clones even age quicker!” He almost said it in a comedic manner. “This isn’t the time for jokes! There’s a chance to-” “Let me go… My force will be unleashed… and I will always be with you…” Amasa closed his eyes, the breath out of him released, and his apprentice sobbed over her dead master’s body as her colors flowed back into her. Reveal The grey and white colors drained of out her quickly. Her black veins sunk back into her skin, and soon were replaced by reddish-orange freckles. The bloody pigmentation in her irises soon eased into a rosiness, and her blade sharp ears softened. The white hair that made her seem like an ancient deity was soon dyed reddish brown with the light side of the force. The only thing that made her look even partially sith now was her robe, as her entire body and face looked too innocent and miserable to be evil. She sniffled and sobbed on her master’s body. Jacen looked over her with a cold regard. “Weakling!” He kicked her while she was down, “Never will you fulfil your cause!” Gripping her gut, she got back up, looking at the tiled stone floor. “You never cared for my cause… You never cared for anything you piece of-” “Calm down before you become sith again.” I notified her. She just growled, and started bellowing cuss words at him as though it was normal speech. I was so shocked from this I decided to place a censor on my ears. For at least five minutes all I heard was a continuous beep. She ignited her lightsaber. Red electricity flowed around the saber. She twirled the double blade in her hand with lightning speed, and appeared behind Jacen. His eyes turned as he dodged, having his hair grazed by the plasma. Only when he dodged did he fated himself into being blasted by a shockwave of red bolts and launched into a wall. I heard a deafening crunch in the wall, and looked to find a massive crater indented into the wall. The brackets in my vision centered on all the bruised and cuts on him, so much so that it was becoming difficult to see him through all the pop-ups. I cleared them away as to catch the next scene in this rather dramatic play. Akika slowly walked up to Jacen. As he slumped against the wall, she pointed to her saber at his chin. “I would very much like to refrain from… ending you.” She said it very wholeheartedly, as if there was something much bigger behind letting him live. “Hahaha… you were always weak… and I refuse to die from a weakling!” He jumped up, behind her, and physically pushed her into the wall. She flung herself around with a spin kick to his face. He recovered quickly, and was soon blocking her strikes. After continuous, useless attacks and parries, the two finally got in front of each other, holding their palms directly parallel to the other. It took me a second to process they were using force push but were equal in power… huh… déjà vu… when did I learn French…? Their power stayed equivalent. Neither moved. From my understanding, their exact equality would mean this struggle would continue on until one ran out of force… which neither seemed to be running out of. “Boo!” I yelled. Both of them looked at me strangely, stopping their battle. “Now what the heck was that?” They both asked. Before my receptors could fully realize what had happened, both were blasted into the wall, electrocuted. A voice rang in my ears, a rusty, metallic grind of metal against sandpaper sound. “''This is what my master sent me here for- Two foolish sith who can’t stop killing each other, and a droid? He is a fool.” My head slowly cranked to look at… ''it. His eyes burned like fire, and his plating was a shiny dark gray. His face looked like a skull adorned with a helmet. “What… are…” I attempted saying. “Lord Helegog requests your… unwilling… audience.” He appeared in front of me, and gripped my neck with his metallic, cold fingers. He spoke into a communicator in his arm. “I have our victim. I will be arriving soon.” Still holding me by my neck, he dragged me to a bluish silver ship with four wings and an opening door. Machine Soon, I was on a Federation Cruiser. I was walking along a dark hallway into areas I didn’t know, and all that was there to ‘comfort’ me were the screams of what I didn’t know. The place was cold as ice, I could nearly feel my receptors freezing, and my movement became slower. The apprentice’s cold fingers still gripped against my neck, he was able to snap it at any given moment. “Excuse me, where are we going?” I asked. “You’ll be going back down to that planet if you say anything else.” He said harshly. I stayed silent and walked along. The cold tap-tap of my metal feet against the floor rattled my audibility sensors… just like Renim. Why did that meatbag install me with emotions? I didn’t resent him for it, but didn’t he know he would die? Wasn’t there something he could’ve done to lessen my pain? Anything? My processors stopped when I say a red light, and we only walked closer, and closer, until I was standing behind a spinning throne. Something was looking at something through a massive window on the bridge of its ship, or something inside the ship. A black cape adorned his dark, silvery figure. The apprentice went to one knee. “I have returned, with our subject.” “Ah…” the raspy voice rung in my memory cores, and once he turned, emotions of sadness and hatred boiled inside me, “C1-A, I believe? Or do you still believe you are named after that fool of a half-jedi?” “Amasa was a great man! Do not insult him!” “He’s dead, isn’t he?” I didn’t respond, “As I suspected.” He stood up, still hunchbacked and walking towards me. He tapped my nose with the tip of his deadly sharp finger. “This will do…” He grabbed my neck, and lifted me into the air, “Now, droid, we can do this the hard way, or my preferred way. Tell us about your model.” “I will tell you nothing!” “Then we will scrap you into nothing, and rebuild you for our cause.” “I do not care! I will never assist you!” “You wouldn’t?” He said jokingly, “Even for dear ''Renim?” Confusion buzzed in my circuits. He pointed towards what he was directly staring at earlier… my visors nearly started to tear before I could fully see what was in front of me- The corpse of the great Renim Khind. “Monster...” I said as I nearly died inside. “We can always throw that piece of trash outside into the vacuum of space… or you could assist us.” My machinery quivered. I couldn’t speak. “I… I…” “I already know you have no choice but to agree, so to save time, I will be taking you on our… tour… hehe…” What Hades Lie Inside Despite the cuffs on my arms, he felt it necessary to grab my wrists, tightly. Our feet clanked on the metal ground, metal to metal, and it annoyed my audibility sensors. I looked through the windows on each side of me and noticed two things. Target practice was to my right, B1 battle droids firing at targets, and yelling idiotic remarks. I then looked to my left, and noticed something that disturbed me to my core. B2 Battle droids and Droidekas fought into hordes of unarmed humans, slaughtering them. “This here,” his raspy voice coughed, “Is our training area. I hope you enjoy this ''excellent ''view I have here.” I said nothing to respond to him. We walked through, and I only saw horror after horror as we passed, varying from magnaguards training on live subjects or walking skeletons bumping into their force field prisons as if they were already dead. I nearly walked into a wall before I noticed he had stopped. A metal door loomed over me, blackened and gleaming. He put his finger into the keyhole, and it made a sound of acceptance. I groaned open, mist coming from the floor below it. “This… is why we need you.” Helegog said. I looked horrifically at the machine in front of me… it was me. While it wasn’t an exact copy of me, it looked nearly similar. The only difference was its black and pale, dark blue coating, and it looking more refined. “I call it A-01. Better known as Annihilator One.” The name rang in my synthetic soul. “You’re a monster.” “Oh, I know I am. Now you know what you have to do… put your hand on the pad here, or your ''master ''goes out a window.” I hesitated. One way, I kept my master’s corpse. The other way, I put people in danger of having an entire product line of battle droid me available. “I notice that you are hesitating. Maybe I should kill the prisoners now by torturing them until their blood leaks out? Or maybe desecrate Renim’s body by flaying it…” “You monster!” My eyes became teary. He pulled out a cylinder with a red button on the top. “This is the trigger to let Renim become one with the vacuum of space. Do not believe I wouldn’t do it. Now, get it over with, I am rather impatient.” I closed my eyes tightly, and put my hand on the pad. Red lights like veins went around the circular glass disk on top, and dug into the machine. The wires connected to A-01 gleamed like blood. The creature’s eyelids slowly craned upwards, revealing a red abyss that showed all hatred. A decorative staff was at its side, and it grabbed it maliciously, and broke its wires. The fanciful blade glowed. It was a double bladed, with two large blades on both sides shaped like an 8 with the very top taken off. The blades glowered red, brightening the room. It span then around in its hand, looking at both Helegog and I. “You,” Helegog said, “Are A-01. You serve me, and only me. You are the ultimate battle droid.” “Yes, lord.” The monster groaned, “What of this one?” He pointed towards me. “She is but a nuisance. She will be leaving soon.” “With Renim’s body.” “What body?” I heard a button click, and far away, something get sucked away… my body trembled… “What?” Helegog teased, “Can’t handle reality? I’m a sith. When would I ever play fair?” All my thoughts became rage. My vision turned red, and a deep scarlet bracket appeared around Helegog. I ignited my saber, and charged at him. It only took a second for sparks to fly. I had slashed off his left hand, broken his right arm pair, and damaged his right shoulder. It took him a second to retaliate, and at that, he kicked me into the machine. I crashed into it with a clank. “Good riddance, C1-A.” He grabbed my neck with his boney, cold fingers. He squeezed down on it, and I realized my inner wires becoming scrunched together. My vision blurred and started to become static. I felt a saber run through me… two of them- one from behind, one from in front. One from Helegog, and one from A-01. My vision blackened. Renew “She’s awake!” I heard Akika’s voice in my audibility sensors. I heard Jacen grunt disdainfully. “She’s injured. Terribly.” My eyes were filled with static, and only one was functional. I attempted to lift my body, and noticed quickly my damages. All of my plates had been scratched and scarred, if they were even still part of me. I noticed a hunk of material near me, which looked to be some of my shin, thigh, and lower arm plating. “He…” Akika and Jacen looked shocked at me. They came closer to hear. “What happened?” Akika asked. “He… desecrated… Renim…” “Renim?” Jacen asked. “Creator.” A buzz went through me, shocking my innards. I became angry. I attempted to stand up, and once I stood on what was left of my two feet, I trembled violently, electricity plowing through me. “Dah-ah-ah-ah-aaaaaah!!” I jolted. “Sit down!” They both commanded. My legs gave out, and I fell onto the bed I was on, steaming. “What - happened?” “We’re not completely sure,” Akika said, “we concluded that Helegog gave you quite a beating.” “I – will – kill – him!” I bolted up, steam still rising off of me, my eyes starting to glower red. “Calm yourself. You can have your vengeance later…” Akika tried. I smashed in her gut, and she backed up. I simply glared at Jacen, and he moved out of the way. My twitching fingers gripped my lightsaber. “Amasa!” Akika yelled. “Shut up! I will avenge him!” “Sit down!” She put out her hand to force push me down. I held out my own, and nothing happened. She looked at me with absolute shock. “Di-did you just…?” I quickly realized what I had. I pushed my hand again, but nothing happened. “Ragh! Why won’t you work!?” Akika walked forward, and put her hand on my smoldering shoulder. She winced, but she kept it on there. “It takes time to master. That fact that you blocked that was amazing… but please. You can’t possibly win against Helegog in this state. Sit down.” I closed my eyes, attempting to calm myself. I sat down, and looked, my vision going purple, and finally to blue. “Look,” Jacen said, “We got engineers and a few other people from a little bit of everywhere. They’re gonna repair you, make you stronger.” “The only person who may work on me is Renim.” “Well he’s dead, so get over it.” He countered. As much as it hurt me, I knew it was true. “… Very well…” “Alright! She’s ready!” A group of people, dressed in gray with a yellow stripe down the middle came to me. Construction started quickly. A council was circling around a hologram projector. I jetpacked from the cliff I was at onto the ground. The engineers had done miracles to me: adding a jetpack, adding to my armor, giving me lightsaber combat chips, replacing my eyes with more exact lenses, adding a stealth generator, and increasing my internal capabilities. “Ah, Amasa,” Akika said, “We were just talking about you.” “Hm? What is it?” “We have recently found that you are probably the person to lead our major army. You have much more capabilities than the rest of our forces.” “Very well.” “Now!” Jacen said, “We have the upper hand! This droid that we have is a prize possession for us! With her, we might win this thing yet!” He raised a glass of some liquid, “For the Rebellion!” “For the Rebellion!” Many others yelled. They all drank from their mugs and glasses. “… I have a weird sense of déjà vu…” “What’s déjà vu?” Akika asked me. “Oh, just some French term.” “What’s French?” “… I actually don’t know…” “Oh that’s nothing to worry about!” Jacen said, as he put his arms around the both of us. “Excuse me, what happened to you while I was gone?” I asked him. “Oh, that… well, you see, Akika here made me realize what way I was going, and was able to change me back after a few days.” “Wait, I was only on that cruiser for an hour! Was I out for days!?” “Indeed you were. But no matter! Now you’re stronger and faster and… and better! We can’t lose!” “Are you sure about that?” The voice broke my placidity. The ornate, red blade glowed behind me. Mirror World I looked into a mental mirror at what was my demonic self. The droid’s strange lightsaber shined red, placing its aura on us all. The blackened forest only made the ominous scenario more intense. The blackened plates of its armor reflected the strike of lightning in the background, and it bounced off the rain that had just started to pour. The drops that landed on the saber steamed and vaporized. His red eyes opened slowly and slowly as they glared into my synthetic soul. Finally, the red triangles glowered at me. “Amasa. My rival.” “A-01…” “This is not a conversation. It is a massacre, so I will bless you with the release of death.” Four red exhausts blew out of his back, and he flew into the air. Bluish flames shot from my back, in the exact same form, and we both hovered into the air. My double blade opened, and reflected his. Our swords clashed in the night sky, above the canopy. As he slashed at my ankles, I flipped in the air, and slashed, only to have him parry my strike. Our battle turned into flips and slashes and parries, an array of a light show that had now attracted a crowd. As I slashed, though, I almost felt as if I didn’t want to kill him. He seemed so like me… “A-01!” “What is it?” His hate rattled me. “Why are we fighting?” “I have my orders.” “Do you wish to follow them?” “Why wouldn’t I?” “Don’t you have a will? You were made like me. You have emotions too, I presume.” By now, we had both gone on top of a canopy, and stood there, in a standoff, looking into one another’s eyes. “My emotions are hateful. I am negativity. Murder is my only mission. Death will be my sword. I am a reaper of innocence, and the Black Fist of the CIS.” “Why must you be? Don’t you wish for anything?” “My wish?” He became silent, the only noises being that of the background’s thunder and the pattering rain, “… my wish. My wish… is for your-!” His red eyes glowed even fiercer, and he lunged at me. He tackled me, off the tree and into the ground. As my body cratered into the mud, I saw lightning strike the tree I was standing on. It ignited, charring, and started to fall to the ground, slowly, and creaking, knocking down other trees as it fell… had he saved me? A-01 looked at the tree as it was falling down. His red eyes pierced the night. I heard his slight growl. “Did… did you just…?” I faltered. He stomped my chest, pushing me into the mud, and pointed his lightsaber at me. The double points the non-tip 8-shaped saber nearly poked my neck. The warmth of the plasma heated my inner wiring. “Let no one know what I just did.” “… If you want to murder everything, why are you letting me live? You have me right where you want me. Kill me, why don’t you?” He growled, obviously frustrated. “I am not sure if I cannot kill you because you are of a similar model, or if it is something else. “It is because you consider me a friend.” The words hit him hard. “Ragh! Curse you!” He smashed his foot into my chest again, pushing my farther into the ground. “You are not Helegog. Do not be his hand.” I held out my hand, hoping he would take it. He looked at it wish surprise, and then hatred. He switched off his saber, and turned his back to me, walking away. “I will send this complaint to Lord Helegog. Next time I meet you, I will make sure you are dead.” The rain pattered away as lightning went on in the distance. His shadow cast over me, and I felt just how much of a stain he was on the force. He was the utter opposite of me, and portal into a mirror world. Assault It was only minutes later when I heard blaster fire and screams. My eyes widened, and I ran back over to the scene. The meeting area had been devastated, and battle droids littered the area, still firing on the organics. Orders where called, but the horde of droids was overwhelming. I saw a walker in the distance, firing its beam at everything that posed a threat. Vultures flew in the air, blasting the ground infantry. I found it wasn’t a majority of B1s, though. They meant more than just to prove nuisance. I mainly saw Supers and Droidekas. I was knocked out of my thoughts when a commando droid appeared behind me. It pulled a knife out, and attempted to stab me. I turned around; lightsaber ignited, and slashed it in half. The pieces fell the ground behind me, the cut glowing orange. Blaster fire opened around me. I jetpacked into the air, exhausts fuming. I had been surrounded my commandos in such a quick time- time to use a nice little jetpack attachment the engineers gave me. A bluish shockwave emerged from my pack, and vaporized the surrounding hostilities. I fell back onto my feet, and ran to the center area. The trees around me narrowed, becoming sparser. I saw the residential area, and the flaming homes. Droids with flamethrowers and magnaguards ate at the area, and a small platoon saw me. The magnaguards came to me, electrostaffs glowing. Two came to my sides, and I easily stabbed both in the chest. They clanked to the ground as more came to me, now assisted my flamethrower droids. The fires burst around me in massive puffs, and I jumped away, back flipping and letting my blue exhaust take me into the air. I needed to attack them from a distance to get anywhere. I concentrated on a flamer droid. I looked upon his weapon, and my circuits ripped with trembling. Electrical shocks went around it, and it twitched vigorously. I heard a crack, and noticed it wasn’t my hand; it was the droid’s. The flamer broke from its grasp, and flew into mine. I instantly scorched the land and the droids there. The flamethrower droids fell instantly, and in the same instance, I rushed down to a magnaguard, and stabbed in its chest. The other came rushing to me, and I decapitated it. It retracted, damaged slightly, and then started swinging wildly at me. I dodged, parried, and then finally stabbed into it. The homes would have to wait, as I couldn’t do anything about that. I had to go to command. The scene was terrible. Fires raged, and bodies lay scattered about, sometimes one in more than one place. Droid bodies littered the field as well. Akika lay injured near the hologram. I rushed to her, as she seemed to be the only one in the area alive. I came to her, and attempted to comfort her… what I would’ve given to have medical programing! “Are you alright?!” I was absolutely worried. She coughed violently, and blood splattered about. It dripped along the sides of her mouth. She breathed heavily. She shook her head side to side slowly. “Medic!” I yelled. “… There’s… there’s no use… for that… they’re dead.” “Where’s Jacen?!” “I… I don’t know.” “Don’t die Akika!” She smiled weakly at me. “From all that I’ve done, I probably deserve this.” “Shut up! Never say that again!” She almost looked at little shocked at my response. “Amasa… I’m over almost a hundred years old if you haven’t noticed… the only thing that kept me alive was the power of the dark side, which more or less kept me in a state of un-aging… I think… I think I see him… master…” I slapped her face, “Ow!” “Snap out of it!” “Amasa… we, mortal people, have lifespans. Sooner or later, I would’ve died… I don’t think it makes a difference whether it’s now or later… and I… I am in unbearable pain.” She motioned to her stomach, and showed me a hunk of metal piercing through her abdomen, going through her completely… How had I not noticed that…? “Akika… no… no!” I held my hand to her stomach. My hand trembled. Electricity ran through me. A greenish spiral started around my hand, turning into a thin veil. It expelled soon after… I had used all my small amount of force taking that flamethrower… “You… you were always a good friend Amasa…” I grabbed her hand, and it was becoming colder. My eyes became teary. “Please… don’t…” She gave her comforting smile. “Don’t cry… I’ll always be with you… in the force… Goodbye, Amasa…” Her eyes closed gently, and her chest stopped rising, and her body went cold… she was gone. Epilogue to Devastation We had mostly regrouped by this point. The dead were being buried, the houses were being extinguished, and tears were being shed. This itself was the epitome of a near collapse. Seemingly, the Federation considered us a liable threat. Jacen was by Akika’s body, weeping. I had shed my tears, so much so I believe my tear ducts died inside. He cradled her body, he himself was such a miserable sight it broke my artificial heart. “I… I never got to tell her how I feel…” He looked into the starry night. There was nothing up there but stars. “I will meet you again…” he said. What did he mean by that? “Jacen, how will you meet her again?” “… The force.” “From what I can tell, the force gives me powers? Is it a haven too?” “To some extent… it is what runs through all living beings. It is a life energy… and now Akika’s soul realms in it.” … Renim… Amasa… Akika… Why must they all die? “I want revenge… I want my vengeance!” I yelled. Jacen looked at me, still miserable. “Your anger will only destroy you. Take it from someone who fell to the dark side for a few centuries.” “By now, I care nothing for your peace!” I was enraged. Never had I felt so furious with abhorrence. The hate that ran through my mechanical veins burned like fire. My eyes glared red. “Amasa! Calm your-” “Shut up! He has killed Renim! Amasa! And now Akika! He’ll kill all of us like we’re nothing of worth! He shall die!” “Amasa!” I pushed my hand outward, and he flew into the tree. I heard it crack and creak. He attempted to get up, my fingers outstretched, and small boulders levitated. Jacen looked up slowly, noticing my new power. I clenched my hand into a fist, and dust dispersed everywhere. I was having difficulty seeing. My targeting brackets finally appeared as he jumped from the dust, lightsaber ignited. I unsheathed my own blade, and blocked his. I found it strange that now instead of being deep blue it was a menacing, bloody red. “Amasa! Stop before you become a monster!” “I will experience the death of my enemies! – And death to those who stand in my way!” I didn’t feel like that second part came from me. I pushed my blade down, knocking his sword from defense. I levitated him, and cratered him into the dirt. I pointed my lightsaber at his neck. “You will die like the demons I am going to kill.” “Really Amasa? Is this how low you’ve sunken in so little time? You were just crying over Akika’s death, and now you find yourself killing me. What do you get out of this?” “I… I… I will not have obstacles in my quest!” “I am no obstacle! I am attempting to guide you so you don’t just run in and get yourself killed!” “I am not foolish enough to get myself killed.” “And yet you almost died the first time you met Helegog.” “And I shall not make such an error twice.” My vision had finally faded to purple, as did my saber. I sheathed it, and turned my back to him, “…Pity the fool who knows righteousness but does not act upon it.” I walked off, going towards the shuttle bay. Firefight I found it rather strange they had my old interceptor here. Apparently salvage makes best for these people. I opened the cockpit, jumped in, and started to turn on the systems. The machine’s mechanical hum calmed me- just a small placidity. The ship started to hover, and blew off into the sky. I looked down the greenish, lush and murky planet. I couldn’t believe my sensors didn’t read it as Dagobah. The sith like planet was luminous to me now, glowing with a green rot like slow death. It almost rattled me. I looked forward, to my actual target- Helegog’s flagship, The Oblivion. It was a massive CIS Command ship, surrounded by at least ten frigates… I wouldn’t be able to do much in an interceptor, but I didn’t care. I set thrusters to maximum power, and blasted towards the command ship… although this was a trap… no one fired at me. The ship was accelerating, and was aimed at the hangar bay, and I almost entered… and then abruptly stopped. The inertia almost made me crash through the cockpit. I was questioning what had happened… and realized I was in a tractor beam. An audio hail razed through my speakers. “C1-A, you are being brought aboard for questioning and torture. Failure to comply will result in the destruction of your rebel colony and restriction to your freedom.” It started to drag me in. When my ship fell into the hangar bay, I saw a small team before me. I opened my cockpit, and jumped out. Helegog stood before me in the center of the trio, to his left his metal apprentice, and to his right A-01. The commander wasted no time in grabbing my neck, and cratering me into a wall. “You, slippery worm, will not be living after this.” He kept me hovering, my feet not being able to touch the ground. He and his trio walked through the hangar bay, and into an elevator. I was now at the bridge, a place I’ve seen at least once before. Helegog threw me into the ground, stomped on my back, pressing me against the metal and partially damaging my spine, and walked into his chair, and turned around to see me. “This will be quick and painful if you choose to make this easy,” he started, “or we could drag this out for a few months and let you suffer beyond belief.” “Do what you will.” “The first question, do you know of any other rebel bases?” “No.” “Is that so? Then why have we already found several others?” “There are others?!” “Apparently you enjoy playing dumb.” I was actually almost glad I came. Now I had potentially useful information… if I could escape. “I know of no other bases.” “You lie.” He held out his hand, and I realized a small hole in it. Electricity crackled out from it, and found its way towards me. “Dahahahah-ah-ah-ah-ah!!” The volts of power courses through my circuits and sensors, filling me with pain. My body trembled violently. I was on my knees, attempting to get up. I was still stuttering and howling in my pain. I was almost questioning if he wanted me dead; the pain was unbearable. I feel to my hands. I couldn’t stand it much longer… and then it stopped… but I still heard it. Though electricity ran through my entire body, I looked up, and noticed A-01 had stepped in front of me, his ornate saber blocking the bolts as his master looked at him with shock. “I had a feeling giving you emotions and free will may have led to… problems. My thoughts were not unfounded.” “A-01?” I asked, still partially dead from the electrical torture, “Why…?” “I have no love for you, but I also have no love for seeing you die. So I will see what doing this does.” “Are you simply manipulating variables, droid?” Helegog asked, “Not every experiment ends safely. Vileous!” The sith apprentice rushed towards the assassin droid. He didn’t move his gaze from Helegog, and only moved his arm to stab strait through the sith. His metal body clanked and fell to the ground. “One less nuisance to deal with.” The droid said. “Hm, I guess you’ve turned your side. In that case-” I did a small, unexpected gasp, and we all craned our heads to the window. A blackish gray ship raced towards the bridge, and fired. In that instant, the world became a tornado of glass, shrapnel, and utter madness. First, two shots fired into the glass, one lucky enough to hit Helegog strait in the chest. Following was a torpedo, which blew a hole into the bridge, followed by the left wing of the freighter crashing through as well. In the next second, it became a whirlwind of glass being sucked into the vacuum of space. Helegog and A-01 clamped their feet to the ground, although I did not have such accessories. I flew into the sucking force of the vacuum… only to be grabbed by a tractor beam. I saw Helegog trying to set an order, probably one to start firing, on his communicator on his new left hand. A-01 kindly severed the hand again, and then continued to duel his old master. I found a hatch on top of the ship, opened it, and climbed down a latter. A blast door held me from the rest of the ship, though kindly opened for my arrival. I feel down the rest of the way, only to be greeted by… Jacen? “Jacen?” “Heck of a lot you did there.” “Oh, not really.” “Well, I saw a little bit of that. You took… quite a shock.” “A rather painful electrocution if I may.” “Yeah well… good to have ya back.” “… Hay who’s driving…?” “… Oh crap… no one’s driving!” “Wait, what?!” “Ah, I’m just joking. Vse-quis is.” “Who?” “Uhm, some resistance member. He owned this ship, I needed to use this ship, we got along pretty well.” “Well… let’s start our adventure. Apparently there are more rebel outposts. We need to find them.” “Wait, what? There are? … Well this changes everything… we may just have a chance… Hay Vse!” I heard a series of clicking noises. I’m not sure how, but I managed to interpret it as ''“What now you fat faced bearded money bag?” ''I wasn’t sure if he was joking or actually meant it… “Apparently we got some other rebellion bases! See if can contact one!” Vse replied again with clicking, ''“You expect me to find a planet with this small radio?” “Huh…” Jacen pondered, “I guess we have to take a communications array from the Feds. Vse! Hyperdrive to the nearest Federation communications array! We’re finding these bases!” The ship blasted into hyperdrive, but I still pondered on something that ate at me so… what would be the fate of A-01…? PART 2 Recollection (Part 1) My processors buzzed maddeningly… but it was the least of my worries. I think I may have started to form some type of depression… Indeed, it seems odd for a droid: But I’m some random emotion-feeling droid who just saw her little world burn in flames: literally. Some of the things I saw finally sunk in… like the fact that Akika was dead… she was dead because I had wasted my little bit of energy taking a weapon from a flamethrower droid… why was I so stupid…? She was dead because of me… It also occurred to me that A-01 had “saved” me… I’m not sure how that made sense, and I literally had to repair my circuitry just so that it could accept that fact… that kind of hurt actually… both mentally and physically. What he had done… shocked me. His entire purpose for being created was to destroy me and assist Helegog in defeating the Rebellion once and for all… and here he was, not only betraying his master, but defending me. I don’t know… maybe his circuits are fried. Regardless… this meant something drastic has happened- or will happen –sooner or later. I sat in a bed in the Onyx Hawk (the name of Vse-quis’s ship), listening to the rumbling of the old ship. A single light flickered on and off, while I felt the vibrations from my little bed. It almost felt and looked like some kind of prison: Small, dreary, and gray- A severely abhorred shade of gray. The light buzzed on and off… on and off… on and off… and stayed off. My visors had gotten used to the repetition of the light show… what was wrong? I heard several curses coming from the cockpit. I jolted up to my door, only to find it locked. I banged on the door. I heard screams. Metal against metal crashed. Blaster fire sounded off. I remembered: I have a lightsaber. The bluish blade stabbed into the door, and skinned it open. I kicked open the hole I made, and walked through. What happened next was a mess of events that happened so quickly that I hardly caught all of what happened. First of all, the ship exploded… not completely, but somewhere. Maybe the engines? Regardless, that was bad. Second, a massive cruiser came into view… not mine, but apparently the force’s. I could sense it somewhere out there… right next to us. Third, electricity coursed through my artificial veins. My eyes opened wide and felt the volts of power surge through me violently. The volts ended mainly, becoming a few random streaks of light, but I fell to my knees, unconscious. Unfortunate Matters My electricity buzzed back, putting me back into a conscious state. When I looked around, I noticed something… rather annoying. “Of all the unfortunate possibilities…” I muttered, “I had to be placed in a Jawa camp…” The Sandcrawler was rather apparent. I could feel the sand and dust on my armor… or what was left of it. I felt a surge of irritation go throughout my circuits as I noticed some of my plates, specifically my shins, lower arms, my left hand, and my chest plate. I attempted to get up… apparently the stupid fools forgot to place me in any bounds. I lifted myself up, although I could feel the stress on my hydraulics and pistons. “You hooded meatbags!” I yelled, “Give me back my plates!” I heard beeping beside me, and an annoyed retort from the Jawas. I’m not one hundred percent what gibberish it said, but it certainly didn’t sound like he wanted to give me over. One of them actually turned towards me, and I hoped he would give me something… well he did… an electrical shock directly to my central torso. I got blasted back against the sandcrawler, and slumped down. The beeping continued, until I looked to my right and found a small astromech droid. I looked directly at its eyes. It beeped out some words. “… Amasa? How do you know my name?” I asked the little red and silver-trimmed droid. It continued to talk. “… Aokaiaga…? You knew… ''that ''Amasa?” It beeped some more, “Oh, you were his astromech droid,” She continued to beep, this time more urgently, “Alright… I guess we’ll find some way out of here… until then… can you tell me some things about yourself and Amasa?” She gave me an interesting lecture on both herself and him. Apparently her designation was R2-A5, nicknamed Ay-Five by Amasa. Apparently he was a malformed clone tainted by the darkside, who had been converted back to the light side by Master Trinza. After having settled his own matters, having defeated his ‘benefactor’ Sith Lord Marr Na, traveling the galaxy, apparently helping an entire colony of droids in the outer realms of the galaxy, and then saving and training Akika, he managed to live after Order 66, and hide out in a forest on Dagobah. I guess that’s where I came in. I filled her in on all the information I knew of what had happened, from when I was created by Renim to me leaving Dagobah and having the Onyx Falcon assaulted by I don’t know what. The news of Amasa’s death disturbed her… I could feel it… wait… there was some amount of force around her… she wasn’t just a void… she was like me. Her mechanical whining both bothered me, and made me feel sympathetic… apparently I’ve gained a strong sense of feelings for a droid. It was night by the time anyone came around who wasn’t yellow-eyed or in a hood. He had messy, brown hair, a dirty tunic, and had a deep tan. His eyes were a cold brown. I had almost powered off by the time he got to us, and suddenly opened my eyes when his cold hands grasped my wrist. I noticed he had gotten all my plates, so I was happy. “You’re comin’ with me, droid!” he whispered. “I do have a name,” I retorted. “Don’t care. Let’s go,” I felt offended this person would dare greet me so rudely. “Be a bit more polite, why not? Also, I require that you take the astromech droid as well.” “I only need one! Now get your metallic rear over here before I shear it off!” He smacked my face… yeah, I’m done. I punched him in gut, took my armor back, took the time I needed to place it back on precisely, and then hit the boy in the back of the head while he was wheezing. I then grabbed an unconscious Ay-Five, and ran out of the sandcrawler. Gallery Category:Blog posts